Four arrested in Abington car break-ins

Tuesday

Nov 28, 2017 at 1:24 PMNov 28, 2017 at 1:32 PM

East Bridgewater resident Joshua Filho, 20, and three juveniles were arrested and charged with various charges of breaking and entering motor vehicles and receiving stolen property early Monday morning after Abington police responded to reports of a group of men in dark clothing rummaging through cars at an apartment complex on Forsyth Drive, court records show.

Tom Relihan The Enterprise TMRelihan_ENT

ABINGTON – It’s officially the season for giving, but four area residents decided to do some taking instead early Monday morning – and it landed them in handcuffs.

East Bridgewater resident Joshua Filho, 20, and three juveniles were arrested and charged with various theft-related crimes early Monday morning after Abington police responded to reports of a group of men in dark clothing rummaging through cars at an apartment complex on Forsyth Drive, court records show.

A caller from the complex told police that he observed a group of four people breaking into vehicles by opening unlocked doors around 5 a.m. The group then fled in a silver Toyota Camry with a dent in the hood when a car alarm went off.

The vehicle later returned to the complex while police were en route, according to the police report, and a vehicle matching the description attempted to leave again when officers arrived. As the car passed police, an officer conducted a traffic stop.

Before approaching the driver, officers observed the vehicle’s four occupants shuffling around, leaning forward and appearing to speak with each other, the report read. The occupants in the back seat were seen using short kicking movements to stuff backpacks under the seats, while the front passenger was leaning to his right and fiddling with the side of his seat.

The driver, Filho, told police the group was at the complex to drop off a friend. Officers noted various items, including paperwork and cables, were strewn about the interior of the car and ordered all of the occupants out of the vehicle.

A search of the car revealed a black JanSport backpack filled with various miscellaneous items, including a wallet that belong to a Whitman resident who was not among the car’s occupants.

One of the car’s occupants told police that he had found the item at Dunkin Donuts around midnight, but when the wallet’s owner was contacted, he reported that his car appeared to have been broken into and rummaged through at his home.

Police also found multiple backpacks filled with personal items and identifying documents for three Whitman residents and one other person, the report read.

All of four of the car’s occupants were placed under arrest and charged with felony breaking and entering at night time, receiving stolen property over $250, and attempting to commit larceny over $250.

All were able to contact their parents and were released.

Filho was arraigned in Brockton District Court on Monday, where he was released on $200 bail. His next appearance will be Jan. 29.